Missed call

March 4, 1987

Missed call from Andrew Lloyd (Westport) to Iowa Walsh (40 Nights Motel room 7)

Transcript of tape recording 002

March 4, 1987

Interview with Mayor Constance Wick

IOWA: Ok, are you ready?

WICK: Yes. Are you?

IOWA: I… yeah, I-

WICK: Then let’s proceed. As you can imagine, I’m very busy, so I’d prefer if we got through this as

                  quickly as feasible.

IOWA: Uh, right, of course.

WICK: I assume you’d like to inquire as to the state of the investigation into Ivan Murtin’s

                  disappearance?

IOWA: Yes, although-

WICK: I can tell you that-

IOWA: -although I really wanted to ask you about the nature of your personal relationship with Ivan

                  Murtin.

WICK: …Relationship?

IOWA: According to multiple sources the two of you were friends.

WICK: …I believe that to be a mischaracterization.

IOWA: And how would you characterize it?

[Beat of silence]

WICK: Ivan and I were in the same graduating class. We knew each other, we were on a first name basis,

                  but you would be hard pressed to claim us friends.

[Beat of silence]

WICK: What?

IOWA: Nothing, just… you’re really 64?

WICK: [sigh] Yes, although I seem to recall an old adage about asking women their age.

IOWA: I-I just meant, uh… it doesn’t show.

WICK: I suppose I should be flattered?

IOWA: I… sorry, let’s get back to Ivan-

WICK: Why?

IOWA: Sorry?

WICK: Why are you questioning me about Ivan Murtin?

IOWA: [nervous laugh] Um… because I’m investigating his disappearance?

WICK: Ms. Walsh, what do you think happened to Ivan?

IOWA: Well, I don’t know, that’s why, y’know, I’m conducting this investigation.

                  What do you think happened?

WICK: I think what the police think what everyone in town thinks: Ivan Murtin was a drunk, old

                  fisherman who probably took a long walk off a short pier. Any day now his body will come in at

                  high tide.

IOWA: Well-

WICK: You know what else I think? I think you’ve come to my town to profit off the death of one of our

                  residents by drumming up stories of murder.

IOWA: I have not once said ‘murder.’

WICK: Please.

IOWA: Respectfully, ma’am, I am only here to report the facts.

WICK: Is there anything else I can answer for you, Ms. Walsh?

IOWA: I… yes. I was hoping to get access to Murtin’s home. To report the facts.

WICK: [sigh] I’m confident you will find little of interest there, but if it will satisfy you, I will

                  set you up with a police escort to visit his home tomorrow. Is that all?

IOWA: I take it from your tone that it is.

WICK: Good read.

IOWA: So, thank you for meeting with me. And sorry, uh… yeah. Thank you.

WICK: Yes. I hope I won’t be seeing too much more of you.

[Click]

Recording ends.

Iowa’s notes: So this was a much shorter interview than I was expecting. If you can even call it an interview. At the time, I took Wick being all cagey and standoffish as suspicious. Not to say I thought she was a suspect or anything, just, y’know… suspicious. But in hindsight, I really think she might just be a colossal bitch.

I have to appreciate her giving me permission to check out Ivan’s place though. I can’t imagine I’ll find any smoking guns in there, but hopefully it’ll give me more insight into Ivan, since no one in town seems to be able to.

Transcript of tape recording 001

March 3, 1987

IOWA: Testing, testing. This is Iowa Walsh, reporter for the Westport Herald.

MIKE: What are you doing?

IOWA: What? I’m testing it?

MIKE: You really think I would just give you a tape recorder that doesn’t work?

IOWA: I don’t know. When’s the last time you used it?

[Beat of silence]

FARGO: He has no idea.

MIKE: I was thinking!

FARGO: There’s a first.

MIKE: I gotta ask, why didn’t you already have a tape recorder?

IOWA: I don’t really do a lot of interviews. Well, not so much high stakes ones, anyway.

MIKE:     Oh, I thought this was, like, what you did?

IOWA: …If I could level with you, off the record-

FARGO: You’re literally recording this.

IOWA: I’m not very good at my job. I kinda get bounced around to different sections of the Herald

all the time.

FARGO: [Laughing] So they only trust you with the small stuff, like homicide investigations?

MIKE: Homicide?

FARGO: Okay, ostensible homicide.

IOWA: No, this isn’t the kind of thing the Herald would usually report on. Harry- uh, my editor, just

                  had a hunch there might be a story here.

FARGO: More of a story than a mysterious disappearance?

IOWA: I just mean normally we wouldn’t be reporting on crime all the way out in Creeping Cove.

MIKE: Glad you are. Honestly, the Moon is pretty lacking in this sort of thing.

IOWA: The Moon?

MIKE: Oh, the Creeping Cove Moon, it’s the local paper.

IOWA: Seriously?

MIKE: Yeah.

FARGO: Terrible name for a terrible paper. It’s a glorified gossip column.

MIKE: I think they might have mentioned Ivan last week, but they’re not doing anything like this.

IOWA: Yeah, I get the impression folks don’t really care about this whole situation.

MIKE: It’s not that people don’t care, I don’t think, it’s just… no one really knew Ivan. It sucks, but

                  it’s not really tragic for anyone.

IOWA: …Don’t you think that in and of itself is its own tragedy?

MIKE: What?

FARGO: Yes.

IOWA: Nevermind. What do you guys know about the mayor?

MIKE: Wick?

FARGO: Why?

IOWA: I scheduled an appointment with her tomorrow.

MIKE: Why?

IOWA: Well just to get a general idea of the police's investigation, but also because I heard she knew

                  Ivan well. Er-

FARGO: As well as anyone knew him.

IOWA: Right.

MIKE: I don’t like that you guys keep talking about Ivan in the past tense.

FARGO: Well… he’s not around anymore, so-

MIKE: That doesn’t mean he’s dead!

FARGO: Where the Hell else would he be, Mike? Hiding out in the woods? He’s probably at the bottom of

                  the ocean right now.

IOWA: Is that what you think happened? He drowned?

FARGO: I mean, probably? What else, murder?

IOWA: Could be.

FARGO: Could not be. There hasn’t been a recorded murder on Creeping Cove for, like, ever. And nobody

                  knew this guy enough to want him dead.

IOWA: Not five minutes ago you said this was a homicide.

FARGO: I was just being colorful- hold on, am I suddenly under investigation here?

IOWA: No, I’m just saying, it’s distinctly possible.

FARGO: I know you’d just love for it to be a murder, huh? Wouldn’t that be a great story for your paper?

IOWA: I would actually love for his body to wash up on the shore today so I could go the fuck home and

                  Never think about this God forsaken island again.

FARGO: Oh, yeah, you got a nice perfect life back waiting for you in Westport, do ya?

IOWA: I- you know what-

MIKE: Jeezum crow, you guys, chill out!

FARGO: …She started it.

IOWA: God, what are you, 12?

FARGO: What are you, 30?

IOWA: WOAH.

MIKE: Guys!

MILLIE: Y’all, I appreciate a good rousing debate as much as the next gal, but could ya keep it down with

                  the fightin’ as long as you’re in the diner?

IOWA: Uh, yes, ma’am.

FARGO: Sorry, Millie.

MIKE: Sorry, Millie.

[Beat of silence]

MIKE: (Whispering) God, you’re so embarrassing!

FARGO: Who!?

MIKE: I’m… going to the bathroom. Don’t do anything stupid.

[Several beats of silence]

IOWA: Listen, I’m… sorry I snapped.

FARGO: …Yeah, sorry too. You don’t really look 30.

IOWA: [Sighing] I pretty much am.

FARGO: No shit?

IOWA: 28.

FARGO: Well, uh… you don’t look it?

IOWA: Jeezus, 30 isn’t dead.

FARGO: I just meant you- oh, shit, uh, your tape’s still rolling.

IOWA: Huh? Oh.

[Click]

Recording ends.